Moving Home Made Easy

Moving home doesn''t need to be stressful and laden with hassles. A spot of forward planning and some handy hints can help you to minimise disruption when upping sticks and moving to your new abode.

Moving home is an exciting time and can herald a new beginning or the start to a new stage of your life. It sounds like a daunting idea but packing up and moving on can be a smooth process if you carry out a little planning beforehand and this can make all the difference between a hassle free move and a frantic scramble.

Moving house calls for many things to be taken care of so why not make the whole process as easy as possible with a little organisation and give yourself a head start.

Several weeks before the move you can begin to make plans for the essentials in life. You will need to open new electricity and/or gas accounts so do some research beforehand to make sure you are getting the most for your money.

You may decide to simply transfer your existing account to your new home and stay with the same energy supplier. You may also find that you could save money simply by switching your account to a different provider so do some shopping around well in advance and have all your energy accounts organised before you actually move into your new home.

You will need to inform your local council of the move so your council tax accounts can be organised appropriately. Other authorities that need to be informed of your move include the TV licensing authority and mobile phone providers.

It is also vital to inform all the relevant financial authorities of your new address, including banks, building societies, store cards, and insurance companies.

It is usually a sensible idea to have your mail redirected for a specified amount of time. This gives you plenty of time to change your details with all relevant organisations and means there is no interruption to your mail.

The DVLA should be informed of your new address so your driving licence can be updated accordingly. This is an important piece of paperwork to keep updated and having incorrect details on your licence can result in penalty points and a fine so it really is worth doing this as soon as possible.

If you have broadband and a telephone line you may want to transfer these services to your new house. Some providers charge for transfers or shutting down accounts so check the details beforehand to avoid any unexpected charges.

Depending on how far away you are moving you may need to register with a new doctor, optician and dentist. You can start this process several weeks before moving so get the ball rolling as early as possible and save yourself a job further down the line.

On the day of the move remember to take final meter readings for gas and electricity. You can then provide your supplier with these readings and close the accounts for your old address.

Victoria Cochrane writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.